The Spanish news portal 20minutos launched an online poll on 11 September 2026, Catalonia’s national day (Diada), asking readers to decide which Catalan figure is considered particularly influential under the title “¿Quién es el catalán más influyente de la historia?” The feature was published on the Cataluña regional page and framed as a Diada contribution.
In a set list of options, 20minutos names prominent figures from architecture, visual art, music and literature. These include Antoni Gaudí, Salvador Dalí, Joan Miró and the singer Rosalía. Alongside artists, the poll’s introduction points to other influential figures in the cultural canon, including Pau Casals, Mercè Rodoreda and Ramon Llull. At the same time, the editorial team makes clear that the list cannot be exhaustive and that other figures, such as urban planner Ildefons Cerdà or cardiologist Valentín Fuster, could also be considered.
The poll is a journalistic feature and makes no claim to scientific rigour. It is an open survey of readers; it cannot provide reliable conclusions about public opinion in the statistical sense. 20minutos did not give any results or interim figures when it launched the poll.
Diada commemorates the events of 11 September 1714 and has been marked annually in Catalonia for decades with official commemorations, cultural programmes and civil society events. Media outlets regularly use the day to take up debates about the region’s history, identity and cultural heritage. In this context, 20minutos presents its newly launched reader poll and brings together figures who have left their mark in Spain and internationally.
It remains to be seen who will come out on top. The selection spans architects and painters associated with Catalan modernism and surrealism, through to contemporary pop culture. Different criteria inform assessments of “influence” – from artistic innovation and international reach to an enduring presence in the collective memory. The poll primarily measures current name recognition and preferences among participating 20minutos readers. It is no substitute for a methodologically sound ranking, but offers a timely opportunity to discuss the breadth of Catalan contributions to European cultural history.
Editor: Mira Cadena (Article created with AI assistance).